The Iowa Republican Caucuses, being held tomorrow, are giving Crabby Old Lady heartburn. What a rotten, miserable event for the first big thing of a brand new year.

Crabby can no longer recall a time when, natural disasters aside, Iowa has not led the news – all day, every day. Okay, she exaggerates but it sure feels like the Republican nominating campaign is been going on for a decade.

And it's not as though there is anyone – even if you're a Republican – to root for. What a field of freaks these candidates are – not one deserves admiration or respect. Not one has a cogent, thoughtful or reasonable plan for a country deeply mired in all kinds of trouble.

That's what Crabby most resents about them: not one has a speck of honest, intellectual curiosity and it's downhill from there: they are actually proud of their ignorance except, of course, for the insufferable Mr. Newt Gingrich who, in misplaced self-admiration, is surpassed only by Donald Trump.

This is the leader of our nation we are choosing, someone who should at least aspire to become a Lincoln or a Roosevelt or a Jefferson. Can we really do no better than this sorry bunch?

The only upside is that a couple of them likely will drop out after tomorrow and we'll never hear from them again. Bah. What a terrible way to begin a shiny new year.

Comments

I remember an epiphany many, many years ago when I was very young, and non-political. The slate of presidential nominees was announced and I said in shocked disbelief "Is THIS the best we can do?" Are these the wisest people in the country?"
The answer was and is self-evident.

If I were a member of the RNC, I would be looking into the procedure by which the nominee is chosen. Frankly, I think the old behind-closed-doors-in-a-smoke-filled room would be better than this debacle.
I agree with Darlene--it is embarrassing to the nation!!

I can't say anything more than what Darlene said -- it is perfect!!!! That anyone gives *any* of these clowns an iota of credibility frightens and astounds me. The Grand Old Party ain't so grand anymore and Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt et al are weeping in heaven.

Right on, Crabby!! God, what a crowd of moronic, self-righteous, pandering (insert your own favorite perforative) clowns. It does feel like it has been going on for a decade--largely because it started right after the last Presidential election. If only it would end with this one.

I'm with Claire Jean and everyone else who has posted in agreement with you so far--how did we allow our country to come to this? What a collection of jokers these GOP "candidates" are! Job creators? Yep--if you count jobs outsourced overseas! Corrupt former members of Congress? We've got 'em. Flip-floppers? Step right this way. Self-righteous, arrogant pseudo-intellectuals (or the opposite: self-righteous, arrogant ignoramuses)? Got those, too.

If it weren't for the sad state of the economy, President Obama would have nothing to worry about from this bunch. And it's not even his fault! The stage was set back in the '80s with Reagan and reinforced under Bush the Younger, both Republicans. Obama has tried to pick up the pieces, but the tea party apostles ("my way or the highway") would sacrifice the country before their ideology or the bank accounts of their ultra-rich contributors.

I'm thoroughly disgusted and the election-year barrage of ads and never-ending solicitations for money has just begun.

55 million Republicans and *this* is the best they can do? Worse there are millions who have been hoodwinked into defending their agenda, because every grade 10 dropout who works at a minimum wage job and watches Fox News has been manipulated into fearing and hating any culture other than redneck Uh-mur-ee-cuh. Intelligence is a hinderance. If one of these candidates were smart they'd be wise to conceal it. Better to set neighbor against neighbor than to offer solutions. I heard one "conservative" economist say in a program clip a few days ago, "It's time we realized that as a nation we can't afford to subsidize the poor and the old." If they win, we "old" will quickly become disposable, unless you are wealthy. Like the majority of the "representatives of the people".

You go Crabby! You are starting my year off right - with some "spit in the eye" of the Republicans who have managed to put this sorry lot together. I keep thinking there must be some larger agenda here and that Sky King will fly out of the heavens and save us all. It's frightening to think he won't.

We can think Rove-Bush, too. They deemed intelligence, knowledge, and intellectual curiosity as traits that were not only not necessary for a president, but **not desired**. Who can forget the sneering and jeering at Al Gore and then John Kerry for being "egg heads"? They set the bar so low, I wonder if we'll ever recover.

What a contrast between the disenchantment with Republicans by col and the enchantment with cardinals in today's elder story..... It is good we have nature in our lives to offset the depressiveness of politics in today's world.

Right on Crabby! I totally agree; what a sad state of affairs to be the laughing stock of the world. As long as the media is more interested in DANCING WITH THE STARS or the latest on Lindsey Lohan, the dumbing down of our country will continue. We can only hope that the intelligence and humanity of President Obama will be a stark contrast to the sorry Republican roster and he will be re-elected to continue to work on the real problems of the US with more cooperation.If enough people are fed up, there is a chance.

Sadly, the pendulum is probably going to have to swing way far to the right before enough people wake up and realize what's been allowed to happen. I'm afraid I have little belief that there is much that can be done at this point, and I dread the suffering that is likely to occur before this country rights itself again. It's hard to even enjoy the great Saturday Night Live political spoofs anymore when you consider what's at stake.

It is not Iowa's fault that there is a Republican party. It is also not Iowa's fault that SOMEBODY from the Republican party has be nominated as the Republican party candidate. My home state has voted blue five out of six of the last presidential elections.